According to global warming group Forecast the Facts, it got 119,000 signatures on a petition asking WGBH-TV Boston to remove billionaire industrialist David Koch from its board.
The group led a protest by climate activists, who argue Koch funds climate change denial and say he should not be associated with shows like NOVA, the iconic science program produced out of WGBH. The protest coincided with a WGBH board of trustees meeting on Wednesday.
According to the group, about 40 protestors stood outside the studios chanting "Koch-Free GBH!" and carrying protest signs. Brad Johnson, campaign manager for the group, said the board allowed them to speak and present the petition.
"WGBH trustees do not have a role overseeing any WGBH programming, and funders have no involvement with the editorial content of programs," Director of Media Relations and Marketing Michael Raia told B&C/Multi after the protest.
"Over more than a decade, in a dozen documentaries and investigative reports, WGBH has presented the science and facts about climate change in our award-winning documentary series NOVA and FRONTLINE, and we will continue to cover the full dimensions of this topic. Just as our viewers and listeners reflect a full spectrum of political and cultural views, so do our board members."
